Dishwasher rack with removable handle

ABSTRACT

A dishwasher rack handle to minimize the amount of bending required by a user in order to remove the lower rack in a dishwasher is disclosed. The handle is removably secured to the lower rack which is generally formed from a plurality of wire members arranged in an open network construction. The handle is snap fit or pressure fit to the lower rack. The handle is L-shaped and includes upper arms with a grip portion capable of being gripped by a user and lower legs. The legs terminate in a pair of tabs which are woven around the open network construction of the lower rack to secure the handle to the rack.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0001] Current dishwashing machines are designed and support a variety of dishes, glasses, flatware, and other cookware items in open racks or trays in a washing chamber. Typically, these dishwashers have two racks within the washing chamber, one rack located towards the top of the washing chamber and the other rack located at the bottom of the washing chamber. Some users of current dishwashers may have difficulty reaching the lower rack due to back problems or other injuries or limitations. It is therefore desirable to provide users of dishwashers easier access to the lower rack.

[0002] Some users of dishwashers will not need an apparatus which eases access to the lower rack of their dishwasher. However, as most dishwasher racks are mass produced, it is desirable to ensure that the same dishwasher rack may be marketed and sold to consumers who do and consumers who do not need the improved ease in accessing the lower rack. It is therefore desirable to provide an apparatus which eases access to the lower rack which may be quickly and easily installed and removed at the option of the user.

[0003] Further, today's cookware items come in a great variety of sizes and shapes. The placement of these cookware items in the dishwasher racks may be impeded by any additional apparatus designed to enhance the accessibility to those racks. This situation may differ from dishwasher load to dishwasher load. It is therefore desirable to provide an apparatus which eases the accessibility to the lower rack without interfering with loading or placement of items to be washed in the rack.

[0004] There is therefore a need to have an apparatus which solves these and other problems in the art.

FEATURES OF THE INVENTION

[0005] A general feature of the present invention is the provision of an apparatus which solves the problems in the art.

[0006] Another feature of the present invention is to provide an improved dishwasher rack which can be accessed with minimal movement on the part of the user.

[0007] A further feature of the present invention is the provision of a handle secured to a dishwasher rack which enables the user to easily reach and move the dishwasher rack.

[0008] Another feature of the present invention is the provision of a handle detachably secured to a lower rack of a dishwasher.

[0009] A further feature of the present invention is the provision of an extended handle for a dishwasher rack which does not interfere with loading of objects into the rack.

[0010] Still another feature of the present invention is the provision of a handle secured to a dishwasher rack which may be quickly and easily removed or installed without the use of tools.

[0011] These as well as other features of the present invention will become apparent from the following specification and claims.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0012] In accordance with one form of the present invention there is provided a dishwasher including an upper and lower dishwasher rack. A handle is removably secured to the lower dishwasher rack and projects upwardly towards the upper dishwasher rack. The handle is L-shaped with resilient legs to engage the lower grid frame of the rack. The handle may be removed or installed at the user's discretion.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0013] The above and other features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent with the following description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, in which:

[0014]FIG. 1 is a simplified perspective view of a dishwasher with the access door open to expose the upper and lower dishwasher racks and illustrating an improved lower dishwasher rack with an extended handle in accordance with the present invention;

[0015]FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a portion of the lower rack of the dishwasher with the removable handle securely installed in accordance with the present invention;

[0016]FIG. 3 is a perspective view of the removable dishwasher rack handle of the present invention;

[0017]FIG. 4 is a side view of the removable dishwasher rack handle of the present invention;

[0018]FIG. 5 is a sectional view of the removable dishwasher rack handle of the present invention taken along lines 4-4 of FIG. 2.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

[0019] A dishwasher is generally designated in the drawings by the reference numeral 10, and includes a door 12, an upper rack 14, and a lower rack 16. Both the upper rack 14 and the lower rack 16 are typically made of plastic-coated wire or plastic capable of withstanding the environmental operating conditions within the dishwasher 10.

[0020] The lower rack 16 of the present invention has a series of base wires 20 which run from the front to the back of the lower rack 16. A series of tie wires 22 run perpendicular to the base wires 20 to form a bottom wall 26 which is reticulated or has an open network construction. This enables the wash and rinse liquids sprayed within the dishwasher 10 to freely engage and impinge any cookware, dishware, glasses, or flatware loaded within the rack 16.

[0021] Secured to the bottom 26 of the lower rack 16 or formed integrally with the wires 20, 22 are a series of side wires 24 extending perpendicularly upward from the perimeter of the bottom 26. Surrounding the side wires 24 are one or more frame wires 18 which run perpendicular to the side wires 24 and which in combination with the side wires 24 form the sidewalls 28 of the rack 16. The sidewalls have an upper perimeter edge 29. The sidewalls 28 and the bottom 26 together define the usable area within the lower rack 16 into which a user may place any items desired to be washed in the dishwasher 10.

[0022] The frame wires 18 are connected to one another where appropriate through any type of well-known connection means, preferably through welding. Once all of the frame wires 18 have been properly welded into position to form the lower rack 16, the entire rack assembly is typically coated with a plastic, such as a vinyl or nylon to protect the steel wire from the effects of the environment inside the dishwasher 10. This coating is sufficiently thick to not only protect the frame wires 18 from any rust or corrosion, but also to protect the frame wires 18 from any damage which may be inflicted by placement of cookware and other items into the lower rack 16 during normal operational use of the dishwasher.

[0023] To ease the user in removing the lower rack 16 from the washing chamber of the dishwasher 10, rollers 30 are typically installed. Rollers 30 are typically plastic wheels secured through ordinary means to the lower rack 16. The rollers 30 are rolled along supports or tracks (not shown) framed in the sidewall of the washing chamber of the dishwasher 10.

[0024] The above-described structure of the lower rack 16 is conventional and does not constitute a part of the present invention.

[0025] The present invention is directed to a handle 36 which is removably installed on the lower rack 16. As can be easily seen in FIG. 1, the door 12 of the dishwasher 10, shown in the open position, opens downwardly and typically is close to the floor of a user's home when in a fully open position. The lower rack 16 rolls out onto the front door 12 of the dishwasher 10. Lower rack 16 is also very close to the floor. Therefore, the user must bend over the front door 12 to reach the lower rack 16. To minimize the amount of bending any user must do, the removable handle 36 is secured to the lower rack 16 as shown in FIGS. 1 and 2.

[0026] The handle 36 is preferably made of a steel wire coated with a plastic such as nylon or vinyl in the same manner as the lower rack 16. Of course, the handle 36 can be made from plastic, aluminum, stainless steel, or any other type of material which is suitable to the conditions present in the dishwasher 10.

[0027] As shown in FIGS. 3 and 4, the handle 36 is preferably made from one piece of steel wire bent generally into an L-shape to form an upwardly extending arm 40 and rearwardly extending legs 42. The end of each leg 42 is bent inwardly at a right angle to form a tab or catch 44. The arm 40 includes opposite sides 46 with an interconnecting section or handgrip 48. The sides 46 can be of any desired length, but extend above the perimeter edge 29 of the rack sidewalls 28 as shown in FIG. 5, and preferably are long enough to nearly reach the upper rack 14 or be within a typical user's normal reach before bending.

[0028] The handle 36 is installed on the front portion of the lower rack 16. As can be seen in FIG. 5, the legs 42 and the tabs 44 of the handle 36 extend over the front tie wire 22A of the bottom 26 of the rack 16, and over the tie wires 22B, 22C. The tabs 44 are then fit under the adjacent base wires 20 by either additional bends in the tabs 44 or by flexing the tabs 44 into the desired position.

[0029] As is shown in FIGS. 4 and 5, the handle 36 may include additional bends 50 such that the lower portion 52 of the arm 40 does not extend beyond the side wires 24. The bends 50 allow the handle to wrap around the upper perimeter edge 29 of the lower rack 16, thereby ensuring a tight fit with minimal interference.

[0030] As described above, the handle 36 is pressure fit or snap fit to the bottom 26 of the lower rack 16. The handle 36 can be positioned at the center of the rack 16, as shown in FIG. 1, or may be laterally offset from the center. Of course, other designs for the handle 36 may use various means for securing the handle 36 to the lower rack 16. For example, the handle 36 could have a plurality of clips designed to snap on to, or around, the wires 20, 22 of the lower rack 16. Those skilled in the art to which the present invention pertains will recognize and be able to practice additional variations in the handle described above, all of which fall within the teachings of this invention.

[0031] A general description of the present invention as well as a preferred embodiment of the present invention have been set forth above. All modifications and additions within the teachings of this invention are deemed to be within the scope of the invention, which is to be limited only by the claims appended hereto. 

What is claimed is:
 1. A dishwasher rack assembly comprising: a bottom wall formed by a plurality of wire members; a sidewall formed by a plurality of wire members and having an upper perimeter edge; and a handle removably secured to one or more of the wire members of the bottom wall or sidewall.
 2. The dishwasher rack assembly of claim 1 wherein the handle is removably secured by fitting the handle under a first wire member of the bottom wall and over a second wire member of the bottom wall.
 3. The dishwasher rack assembly of claim 1 wherein the handle extends above the perimeter edge.
 4. The dishwasher rack assembly of claim 1 wherein the handle is L-shaped.
 5. The dishwasher rack assembly of claim 1 wherein the handle includes a pair of legs extending along the bottom wall of the rack and an arm extending upwardly from the legs.
 6. An attachment for use on a rack in a dishwasher, comprising: a handle having an upper and lower portion, the upper portion of the handle extending above the rack and being capable of being gripped by users and the lower portion of the handle adapted to be removably secured to the rack.
 7. The attachment of claim 6 wherein the upper portion includes a pair of upwardly extending arms with an interconnecting grip portion.
 8. The attachment of claim 7 wherein the lower portion includes a pair of legs extending rearwardly from the arms.
 9. The attachment of claim 9 wherein each of the legs have an inwardly turned tab adapted to overlap a portion of the rack to removably secure the attachment to the rack.
 10. A handle for a lower rack of an automatic dishwasher, the lower rack having a bottom wall and sidewalls, the handle comprising: an L-shaped member having at least one upwardly extending arm and at least one rearwardly extending leg; a horizontal grip portion on the arm for gripping by a person; and the L-shaped member being removably installed on the rack.
 11. The handle of claim 10 wherein the L-shaped member is installed without the use of tools.
 12. The handle of claim 10 wherein the L-shaped member includes a pair of spaced apart arms and a pair of spaced apart legs.
 13. The handle of claim 12 wherein the grip portion extends between the pair of legs.
 14. The handle of claim 12 wherein the legs extend under a portion of the bottom wall of the rack.
 15. The handle of claim 12 wherein the arms extend in front of the sidewalls of the rack.
 16. The handle of claim 12 wherein the legs are resilient and are threaded under and over portions of the bottom wall of the rack. 